What You Should Know About Hiring A Team Of Developers When You’re Not Technical

June 20, 2017

4 min read

Software development can be divided into three general categories. One is data, which consists primarily of storing and managing information in a database management system. The second is logic, which is sometimes called “middleware.” This is the set of components responsible for interpreting and processing requests for data from the users. The third is the user interface, which is the software that collects input from and returns output to the user of the software.

This kind of structure is known as n-tier development. When building a development team, it is often a good idea to find developers who can fill one of these roles. There are a multitude of sites out there like UpWork that allow you to find developers all over the world of various skill levels. This way you can try out multiple developers until you find someone who fits your needs properly. In the same way customers reward impactful business interactions with everything from good reviews and online praise to tips for employees, UpWork and sites like it function in a similar ratings-based fashion, so you know who the good and responsive developers are before you begin working with them.

Management

For most projects, it is advisable to build from the top down. The reason for this is so the project lead can be involved in recruiting and training the rest of the team. One of the best strategies is to recruit a lead who will be working on the data tier of the project. Database design drives the rest of the project from logic to interface, so it is a natural place to install the team lead.

Generalized Design

It is best to keep the design and implementation details of the project as general as possible until your team has had an opportunity to look at the specifications. The reason for this is because there are likely numerous optimizations your team will bring to your project you may not have thought of already. There are a multitude of discounted services and coupon sites out there to help if you know where to look. When it comes to your development team, the more you can leave the details to them, the more likely it is your project will succeed.

When it comes to implementing design, be sure to follow best practices or even look to outsource to a skilled digital agency capable of meeting your needs. Simple apps and platforms won’t require that much on the front-end side, but be sure you know what you’re getting yourself into before hiring someone to work hourly on a project that was of a much larger scope than you had envisioned yourself. Clearly communicate your end goals and ideas for the finished product to avoid mishaps.

Documentation

Starting with your team lead, you should not only encourage, but you should insist everyone assiduously document their work. This is absolutely vital. One of the reasons the British Navy virtually ruled the world for 300 years is because their ship’s captains wrote thousands of pages about the oceans they explored. If you want your team to rule your project, having them document it is a good start.

This information shouldn’t necessarily be limited to commenting your code, either. Documentation should also include check-in notes in your repository, logs of what was done in the day to day work and notes, photographs and summaries of what was discussed and decided in meetings, and even centralized error logs to provide adequate information for those who later look to implement bug fixes and mend larger problems on the platform.

Electronic Storage

Naturally, everything should be stored electronically. More importantly, however, everything should become searchable as soon as possible. This will give your team wide and deep context for every decision that was made and will serve to save time if there are disagreements later in the schedule.

Software development can seem overwhelming, and recruiting highly accomplished developers can often seem like trying to run a professional baseball team. But with a few basic guidelines, most teams can accomplish their goals with minimal difficulty.